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Ramon Torres: Cast off 40-man roster

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Torres was outrighted to Triple-A Omaha on Friday and will become a minor-league free agent.

Torres will hit the open market after playing in nine games for Kansas City this past year. He spent a majority of the season in Omaha, slashing .230/.279/.343 with six home runs, 27 RBI and six stolen bases. This move allows the Royals to clear a spot off their 40-man roster in order to protect a younger prospect from the Rule 5 draft.

Torres was returned to the minors in order to make room for the recently acquired Brian Goodwin on the active roster. Over nine games with Kansas City this year, Torres has slashed just .179/.207/.214. He may come back to the Royals in the near future but it's highly unlikely that he will make an impact at the major-league level.

Adalberto Mondesi was placed on the Family Medical Emergency List, so Torres will join the Royals to bolster their infield depth. The 25-year-old went 5-for-28 during his first stint in the majors this season, but this may not be an extended stay in the big leagues. Mondesi can return against Detroit on Monday, but could spend as many as seven days away from the team.

After starting four times in a five-game stretch shortly after being recalled from the minors in late May, Torres had seen his opportunities with the big club fall by the wayside ever since. Ryan Goins had seemingly vaulted ahead of Torres as the Royals' preferred utility option in the infield, and the latter will now forfeit his spot on the active roster to a higher-upside middle infielder in Adalberto Mondesi. Torres should be on the short list for a promotion if the Royals end up losing another infielder to injury, but he may need a few lucky breaks beyond that to capture an everyday gig this season.

The infielder hit .243/.291/.284 in 79 plate appearances for the Royals in his major-league debut last season. He hasn't fared any better with Triple-A Omaha so far this year, hitting just .229/.280/.307. He'll fill a bench role for the Royals, taking the roster spot previously occupied by Cheslor Cuthbert, who was placed on the disabled list with a lower back strain.